Cold Hearted
by Dazzling Dolphin
Summary: Calling Hotaru Imai by an unforgivable name is out of the question. So what would happen if Ruka Nogi does something no one has ever dared to do? Read to find out!
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: **This is my first Gakuen Alice Fanfiction, dear readers. Please forgive me if anything is OOC._

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Chapter One:

It was a wonderful and pleasant morning in Tokyo. A soft breeze was blowing lightly, in accordance with the early birds that were twittering. The sun bathed the city with its golden light. The sweet atmosphere was spread in Gakuen Academy too. All the students walked to their morning classes with smiles on their faces. They were calm ... well except for two certain people.

A group of girls turned around in alarm to see two figures running towards them. Specifically, one was being chased by another.

'Imai! Give that back!'

Yes, it was the blackmailer, Hotaru Imai, being chased by her poor victim, Ruka Nogi. This had been a regular routine ever since they were ten. And they still haven't changed even after seven years.

Hotaru knocked down the girls as she ran, without apologising and escaped into her lab. Ruka burst in after her.

'Imai!' he shouted.

She aimed her Baka Gun at him.

'Shut up or else,' she said, emotionless as always. 'Give me a thousand rabbits and you can have what you want.'

Instead of turning pale at the sight of the weapon in Hotaru's hands, Ruka rolled his eyes. 'I'm seventeen, Imai; do you think I'm going to fall for that again? Old times are old.'

Hotaru remained where she was, but still kept her Gun at the ready.

They both glared at each other, but then a distraction in the form of Mikan Sakura came in.

'Hotaru! There you are! I was looking for you!' she squealed and she started running to her best friend. Very bad idea.

BAKA!

'AAAAIIIIEEEEE!'

Ruka looked sympathetically at the poor brunette that was lying on the floor, clutching her head.

'Hotaru, you meanie!' she cried.

'Stop screaming,' Hotaru threatened.

'I just want to hug you,' Mikan snivelled. 'I was so glad you weren't sick or anything.'

With tears streaming down her face, Mikan went out.

Ruka glared at Hotaru again. 'This cold attitude isn't going to get you anywhere, Imai.'

With that, he stormed out of the lab without a backward glance.

Once the lab was quiet, Hotaru lowered the Gun and pressed her lips together. She dropped onto a nearby chair. She eyed all her inventions and as her eyes strolled past a silver device, she caught sight of her reflection. A seventeen year old girl with amethyst eyes and shiny dark hair that reached upto the base of her neck looked back at her. But the face was expressionless. The eyes looked cold and threatening.

She winced inwardly.

Wasn't this how she looked at everyone?

Mikan always saw her like this ... and so did Ruka.

But Mikan always loved her, despite her expressionless face. And what did she always get as a reward? Getting hit by the Baka Gun. Hotaru looked down at her lap. She also loved Mikan but what had she ever done to her? All she did was to threaten her or hurt her. True, she did always give Mikan her ears whenever she was in the middle of a serious problem, but had she ever done anything more affectionate than that?

_Isn't Hyuuga expressionless too? _She thought.

_But he doesn't burn Nogi's hair like an everyday practice, _a voice inside said.

She sighed, got up and went out.

After the first period got over, she took a stroll down the garden and as she passed by the Sakura tree, she expected to hear Mikan shrieking her head off at Natsume for peeking at her panties again, but instead she heard Ruka and Natsume talking.

'... I just can't understand that Imai,' Ruka was saying.

Hotaru froze and hid behind a tree, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping.

'Mikan was worried about Imai this morning and after she finally found her and tried to hug her out of relief, Imai just hit her with that damn gun,' Ruka said, venom in his voice.

'That loud mouthed idiot,' Natsume just said, clearly referring to Mikan.

'Natsume!' Ruka said.

'Yes, I get you,' Natsume said. 'And plus, I can call my girlfriend anything.'

Ruka laughed a little. 'Even though you two are an item, won't you stop calling her names?'

Natsume smirked. 'Only I can call her those names. Anyone else who does that will receive hell.'

Ruka laughed again but then sighed. 'That Imai! What the hell is she made of anyway? Does she even have a heart? Blackmailing all the time.'

'You hate her?' Natsume said.

'You don't know,' Ruka seethed.

The moment Ruka said that, a sharp pain shot across Hotaru's heart. She was surprised she even felt that. Involuntarily, she felt her hands grip the side of her skirt hardly. But she shook her head.

Why did she even have to feel sad of what Ruka said? He wasn't the reason she was sad. Mikan was!

Yes, yes, Mikan was the reason of her feeling of regret.

She promised herself she was going to borrow Mikan from Natsume for the evening and take her out to Central Town for a girl time.

'Damn her!' Ruka said.

Hotaru swallowed. She shook her head again and moved quietly out of the area, unable to listen to anything else.

After the morning classes got over, the Ice Queen got up from her place and swung her bag over her shoulder. She straightened her uniform and was about to go out of the class with Mikan when suddenly something grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around.

She found herself face to face with Ruka Nogi.

'Imai, give me my pictures back,' he said fiercely.

'Pay up,' Hotaru shot back.

'Give them,' Ruka said.

'I won't unless you pay.'

'Give them back!'

'Pay up, bunny boy.'

'Stop calling me that!'

'You _are_ one.'

Suddenly, his face grew red with anger and his ice blue eyes gave a death glare.

'YOU COLD HEARTED GOOD FOR NOTHING BITCH!'

Hotaru froze. The people surrounding them froze. Mikan froze. Even Natsume froze. The area grew quiet.

Hotaru's eyes began to sting. But she managed to restrain herself. She, Hotaru Imai, the blackmailer, the Ice Queen ... nearly let tears escape just because of ... Ruka Nogi.

He suddenly realised what he just said. He blinked several times and he looked apologetically.

'Oh, no, I'm sorry ... I shouldn't have said that.'

'How could you, Ruka!' Mikan shrieked. Hotaru remained expressionless but she was angry, sad and grieved on the inside.

'You have no heart!' Mikan continued yelling at Ruka. 'How could you say that to Hotaru?! You will never be forgiven! Come, Hotaru.'

She grabbed Hotaru's hand and dragged her out of the room. Hotaru let herself being dragged. She was going to pieces inside.

That night, in her room, Hotaru lay on her bed, hugging the pillow to her and trying to sleep. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to take Mikan out because she couldn't calm herself down. Right now, she was trying to sleep but wasn't able to because of what was shouted at her.

_Cold hearted good for nothing bitch ... cold hearted good for nothing bitch ... cold hearted good for nothing bitch ..._

She clutched the pillow more tightly to her.

Mikan had tried comforting her but Hotaru was not able to be herself again. The words struck her more powerfully than she thought. She even got to thinking as to why it affected her so much.

Then she realised as to why it did.

There was a reason.

If it was said by anyone else, she wouldn't have bothered much. But these words had come out of Ruka Nogi, her victim.

But recently, she wasn't able to look at him the way she always did.

He looked different to her. And that was why she was hurt so much.

His patience with her all these years, his smile, his tolerance ... and everything about him had Hotaru develop something for him.

Although she remained stoic and cold to him, inside, she was in love with him. How was she ever going to pluck up the courage to say that to him?

Now that it was evident he hated her to the core, there was no chance.

_**Please REVIEW! Reviews are the key ingredients to a story. :)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**_

Chapter Two:

The next day was Saturday. Normally, Hotaru would have been up and ready to work on a new invention but she overslept this morning.

KNOCK. KNOCK.

'HOTARU!' came Mikan's voice from outside the door.

Hotaru stirred a little.

'HOTARU!'

She opened her eyes.

'HOTARU!'

'The dummy,' she muttered as she flung the covers off her. She went to the door and just as she opened it, Mikan came tumbling inside and ... fell on the floor. Natsume, who happened to be with her, leaned on the threshold and stared down at her.

'Clumsy idiot,' he said.

'Natsume!' Mikan wailed as she picked herself up from the floor.

'What do you two want?' Hotaru said.

'I wanted to see you!' Mikan squealed happily.

'Coming to annoy you wasn't my idea, it was polka dots',' Natsume said, looking bored.

Mikan pouted at him and turned back to Hotaru.

'I'm in no mood to be annoyed,' Hotaru said.

'I just want to take you out!' Mikan said.

'Where?'

'Central town! We'll have crabs for lunch! Please, Hotaru?'

Hotaru merely looked at her. Love for Mikan ran through her body as she realised the reason Mikan wanted to take her out. To get her disturbed mind distracted. In spite of herself, Hotaru smiled.

'You smile!' Mikan squealed.

'What a scientist,' Natsume said, rolling his eyes.

'Is that a yes, Hotaru?' Mikan said, ignoring Natsume.

'It is, dummy.'

'Yay!'

'My ears are bleeding!' Natsume said. 'Shut up, strawberry printed panty!'

'Argh! Natsume!'

Mikan narrowed her eyes at him. Then she looked back at Hotaru. 'This pervert isn't coming with us.'

'What a joy to be free of you,' Natsume smirked.

'Argh!' Mikan pounced on him. Hotaru smirked as she caught pictures of the pair of them love fighting and closed the door on them after saying she'll be ready in an hour.

Hotaru went into her bathroom, brushed her teeth, stripped off her clothes and stepped into the warm shower. She tried not to think of a certain blond haired guy as she shampooed her silky hair and soaped her body with a lime body wash.

She finished bathing, put on a robe, and went to her dressing table. Humming to herself, she dried her hair, and put on a violet ruffled top with black jeans. After touching herself up, she called Mikan.

Half an hour later ...

Mikan and Hotaru stepped off the bus and breathed in the air.

They started walking up the street. Hotaru spotted a seafood shop and after pointing it out to Mikan, they both went inside.

A waiter came upto them and escorted them to a table for two. After they both sat down, he took their orders and went away.

'How are you feeling, Hotaru?' Mikan asked gently.

'I'm fine,' she replied.

'No, you're not.'

Hotaru didn't say anything.

'You looked very hurt yesterday,' Mikan said. 'I've never seen you like that. Is there something that you've never told me?'

'There's nothing.'

'Hotaru, come on. You can tell me.'

'Nothing.'

'I can tell when you're lying! Spill!'

'Fine!'

And that was when Mikan came to know of Hotaru Imai's secret.

'Happy?' Hotaru said.

Mikan blinked several times. 'You ... are ... in ... love ... with Ruka?'

'Yes, if it hasn't penetrated through that thick skull.'

'Oh my God!' Mikan squealed.

Hotaru took out her Gun just as the people at the nearby tables looked around at the sound.

'Lower your voice, you idiot.'

'Sorry, sorry,' Mikan said in an excited whisper. 'But have you told him?'

'If I had, he wouldn't have had the guts to call me a "cold hearted good for nothing bitch" yesterday,' Hotaru replied, trying to ignore the sharp pain in her heart.

'That was very mean of him,' Mikan said.

_But he's right, _said a voice in Hotaru. She admitted it mentally but didn't say it out to Mikan.

Just then, their meals arrived. Hotaru immediately settled into her Crab Delight, forgetting about everything.

'But he was sorry,' Mikan said after they had finished eating.

Hotaru didn't reply. Those words came tumbling out of his mouth like water. He must have a strong dislike to her.

And that only increased the pain in her heart.

Suddenly, Mikan gasped.

'Hotaru.'

'What?'

'It's – it's Ruka.'

Hotaru snapped up and stared directly at the doorway, through which a tall blond haired guy with ice blue eyes just walked through. He ran his fingers through his hair and without looking anywhere, he went to a secluded table and whistled at a waiter. Hotaru watched him as anger built up in her.

_Look at me, Ruka, _the voice pined.

Hotaru ignored that for the time being. She was pretty pissed at the sight of Ruka, although she knew she should be overcoming with love. But she knew why she was pissed. For being regretted and not accepted.

_But who would like a cold person like you? _The voice in her said.

Hotaru wished it wasn't the truth.

'Your bill, ma'am,' said their waiter, putting a bill folder on their table.

'I'll pay,' Mikan said, taking out her purse.

Hotaru was still looking at Ruka through the corner of her eye.

_What a stupid hybrid variety ... but I love him._

Hotaru swallowed the lump in her throat.

'Let's go,' she said, getting up.

Mikan followed suit and as Hotaru started pushing her fastly to the door so that Ruka won't see them, they accidentally crashed into a waiter who was carrying bowls of soup.

_BANG. CLANG. CRASH. TINKLE._

The tray collapsed onto the floor. The china bowls crashed into pieces and soup flowed out in all directions.

'Oops! Oh no!' wailed Mikan.

The whole restaurant turned to look at them, which of course included Ruka, whose eyes went wide when he caught sight of Hotaru and Mikan.

'Can't you two idiots watch where you're going?' snapped the waiter, glaring ferociously.

Mikan apologised but that waiter had a serious temper.

'Girls these days,' he seethed, loud enough for everyone to hear. 'Don't bother about a thing. Think they're the prettiest things. Think they're on the top of the world. Clumsy, empty headed females is what this world is getting rotted by –'

'Say another word and you're dead,' said a threatening voice.

Hotaru - who was getting heated and was getting ready to hit the guy with the Baka Gun - and Mikan turned around to see Ruka glaring at the waiter.

'One more word,' he dared.

The waiter pressed his lips.

'You want penalty? Here,' Ruka said, snapping some cash into the waiter's hands. 'But don't ever insult girls.'

Ruka turned to look at Hotaru.

She glared at him, grabbed Mikan's hand and stormed out of the restaurant.

'Hey, wait!' he called and ran after them. 'Imai!'

Hotaru continued to walk fastly. 'Go to hell, Nogi.'

'Look, I'm sorry! I shouldn't have called you that!'

'Well you did. Leave me alone, Nogi.'

'Imai, please!'

'Ruka, stop following us,' Mikan said.

'Mikan, you too! You know I'm sorry!'

Hotaru had enough. She whipped out her Baka Gun.

BAKA!

'Ow!' Ruka shouted, lying on the floor.

'Shut the hell up,' Hotaru said and she and Mikan caught the bus and set off.

_**Please, please review!**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Chapter Three:

On Monday in class, Hotaru was minding her own business when she felt the hair on her neck prickle, the sensation of being watched. Out of the corner of her eye, she found Ruka Nogi looking at her through the amount of girls that were swarming over him.

_Why's he looking at me for? _She thought, while trying not to get irritated at the swarming girls. _He hates me._

She went back to fixing a small device. She tried to concentrate but she was getting annoyed by the amount of noise the class was making. Koko, as usual, was causing trouble by saying out everyone's thoughts aloud. Just as he said something Sumire thought involuntarily, she lost her temper and started shouting at him. The rest were laughing their heads off. Ignoring Ruka and the fangirls with difficulty, Hotaru wondered where Mikan and Natsume were. She hadn't seen the pair of them all morning.

Finally, the lunch bell rang and Hotaru packed her things quickly. She went out of the classroom first and headed to the cafeteria. As usual, she sat by herself on her table. She preferred to eat alone. But today, she was a little restless. Mikan was nowhere to be seen. And right now, Ruka wasn't at the cafeteria either.

_Where did he go?_

Hotaru wasn't able to have a sound lunch.

After lunch finished, the afternoon classes started. And still there was no Mikan. Or Natsume. Added to her irritation, Ruka suddenly disappeared too.

Also, Anna Umenomiya and Nonoko Ogasawara, who were present in the morning were absent too.

Hotaru tried not to get too angry.

Where was everyone?

Mikan never bunked school without telling Hotaru and what the hell was she doing?!

Hotaru made a mental note to kill Mikan once she sees her.

_Or maybe she doesn't want to be with you, _said the voice in her head.

Angry and grieved, Hotaru began to trace the way back to her dorm once school ended.

She went up two floors and once she reached her dorm, it was to find a note taped to her door. In the dummy Mikan's handwriting: _Go to my room, Hotaru. You can't get in your room because of a little thingy. Go to my room. You have something there._

Hotaru frowned. What on earth was Mikan upto? What had she done to her door? She really was going to kill Mikan.

She tore the note off the door and stormed to Mikan's room. It was unlocked and there was no one inside. But on Mikan's bed was an outfit, along with another note in Mikan's handwriting: _Refresh yourself, put on makeup, put this on and go back to your room._

By now Hotaru was pissed. No one gave _her_ orders. Very angry and seething to herself, she picked up the dress that was laid out. It was a dark, glittery purple chiffon dress. What was she, a doll? Why was Mikan telling her to wear this? But Hotaru just gritted her teeth and went to the bathroom to wash her face. She put on some cream and some lip gloss. Then she took off her uniform and put on the chiffon dress. After giving her hair a comb, she went out of the room, both in anger and confusion.

Once she reached her dorm room, she lost patience.

She grabbed hold of the door handle as she said, 'Mikan, you idiot, I know you're in there. Get out of my room, right now!'

She kicked the door open – only to be greeted by an explosion.

'HAPPY BIRTHDAY, HOTARU!'

Hotaru blinked several times as coloured paper flew around her. Her room had been transformed into something else. On the walls were pictures of her, colourful streamers and a big banner that said HAPPY BIRTHDAY. And in the centre of her room was a table supporting a cake, presents ... surrounding the table were Mikan, Natsume, Anna, Nonoko ... and Ruka.

Hotaru was startled. She had completely forgotten today was her birthday. Her anger, resentment and irritation had swiped it out of her mind.

Mikan bounded forwards and hugged Hotaru. Surprisingly, Hotaru let her.

'You can murder me later,' Mikan giggled.

Hotaru smiled in spite of herself. 'Idiot.'

As they both let go of each other, Ruka emerged from behind Mikan. Hotaru glared at him ... but only lightly.

'Imai ... I mean, Hotaru,' he said. Hotaru was shocked to see him address her by her name. 'Can I talk with you?'

With Mikan nodding her head vigorously and happily, Hotaru followed Ruka out of her room and to a balcony at the end of the corridor. It was a starry night.

'What do you want, Nogi?' Hotaru said, expressionless as always.

'I just wanted to give you something, as an apology,' he said and handed her a box wrapped in pink wrapping paper.

Hotaru opened it ... and was shocked to see what was inside.

It was a necklace, with a heart shaped pendant. There was also a folded note. She opened it and there was something written in Ruka's writing:

_Hotaru, I'm sorry for what I said. I seriously didn't have any intention to hurt you. I was so mad that I didn't realise what I was saying. I'm so angry at myself. Please, I'm sorry. Accept my apology if you forgive me, or if you don't, feel free to slap or kick me. And there's also something else I want to say ..._

_I love you, Hotaru Imai._

She looked up to see Ruka blushing furiously.

It was if her whole world had stopped spinning. She was electrocuted to the skin. He ... loves her too?

This was unbelievable. So he did not hate her.

Hotaru looked into his eyes and saw that he was so sincere. He really was sorry and he did have feelings for her. The priceless and adoring expression on his face moved her heart to a great extent and she was overwhelming with passion.

Not wanting to waste the moment ... she pulled out her camera (She's upto no good, isn't she?)

SNAP!

'Imai!' he yelped.

She laughed ... actually laughed. And he was amazed. Hotaru Imai never laughed.

But then she pulled at his ear.

'How long did it take for you to say that, idiot?' she said.

He blinked.

'I love you, Ruka Nogi,' she said.

And that was when Ruka's whole face shined. Without further ado, they pulled each other into each other's arms and kissed passionately. Hotaru found herself melting. This was easily the best night of her entire life.

After they broke apart, Ruka gave her a dazed expression.

And what do you think Hotaru did?

SNAP!

'Tomorrow's jackpot,' she giggled and ran off, with Ruka chasing after her.

'Imai, give that back!'

_The End._

**_Please review! Please review! Please review!_**


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